SCARLETT POV
"Scarlett? Is that you?"
Juniper's voice from upstairs shatters the moment like breaking glass.
Maverick and I jump apart. The golden mate bond stretches between us, screaming in protest at the distance. My wolf howls inside my mind, furious that I'm moving away from our mate.
"Don't tell her," Maverick whispers urgently. His gray eyes are wild with panic. "Please. Not yet."
"Tell me what?" Juniper appears at the top of the stairs, grinning huge. "Oh my god, you're actually here!"
She runs down the stairs and crashes into me with a hug so tight I can barely breathe. Over her shoulder, I watch Maverick back away slowly. His hands are shaking. His whole body is tense like he's fighting every instinct to grab me and never let go.
I know exactly how he feels.
"I missed you SO much!" Juniper squeals, pulling back to look at me. "You look different. Did you do something to your hair?"
"I shifted," I blurt out before I can stop myself. "Two days ago. For the first time."
Juniper's eyes go huge. "WHAT? You shifted? Finally! Oh my god, that's amazing! What's your wolf like? What color? How big?"
"Silver," I say quietly, watching Maverick's reaction. His eyes flash amber—his wolf responding to mine. "Really big. I broke my whole bedroom."
"Silver?" Juniper looks confused. "That's weird. I've never heard of a silver wolf before."
"It's extremely rare," Maverick says. His voice comes out rough and strained. "Silver wolves haven't existed in decades. Your friend is special, Juniper."
The way he says "special" makes my stomach flip. Like he's talking about more than just my wolf color.
He knows what we are, my wolf whispers. He understands silver wolves. Ask him why everyone's scared of us.
But I can't ask. Not with Juniper bouncing excitedly between us.
"This is perfect!" Juniper grabs my hand. "You can join the pack runs now! Oh, and the Solstice celebration is going to be epic. There's this super hot Alpha visiting from the North—Caspian Ironfang. He's single and powerful and—" She stops, grinning mischievously. "Maybe he'll be YOUR mate!"
I flinch. So does Maverick.
"I doubt it," I mutter.
"Why not? You're gorgeous and now you're a wolf! Any Alpha would be lucky to—" Juniper pauses, finally noticing her father. "Dad? You okay? You look weird."
Maverick's jaw is clenched so tight I'm surprised his teeth don't crack. "Fine. Just tired. I'll let you two catch up."
He turns and walks away quickly. Too quickly. Like he's running from something dangerous.
Follow him, my wolf begs. Please. We need to be near him.
But Juniper is already dragging me toward the stairs. "Come on! I'll show you to your room. It's right next to mine so we can stay up late talking like old times."
I let her pull me upstairs, but I can feel Maverick in the house. It's like having a sixth sense. I know exactly where he is—downstairs in his study, probably pouring himself a drink.
The mate bond hums between us even through walls and distance. A constant awareness of each other that's both comforting and terrifying.
How am I supposed to hide this?
Hours later, I'm lying in bed staring at the ceiling. Juniper finally went to sleep after talking for three hours straight about pack drama, her mother's awfulness, and how excited she is about the Solstice.
She didn't notice anything weird. Didn't see the way I kept losing track of the conversation. Didn't feel the mate bond blazing through the house like a beacon.
He's awake too, my wolf whispers. I can feel his wolf pacing. Storm is calling to us.
"Storm?" I whisper back.
His wolf's name. Storm and Luna. We're meant to be together.
This is insane. I've known Maverick Nightshade for years. He's always been Juniper's sad, distant father. The broken Alpha who barely smiles. I never thought of him as anything except my best friend's dad.
But now?
Now I can't think about anything else. His scent is everywhere in this house—pine and rain and Alpha power. Every breath I take reminds me he's close.
The mate bond thrums inside my chest, begging me to go to him.
Just a peek, my wolf suggests. We need to see him. Make sure he's okay.
"That's a terrible idea."
Please. I'm going crazy up here. Five minutes. That's all I need.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I'm sliding out of bed. My heart pounds as I creep into the hallway. The house is dark and quiet. Everyone's asleep.
Except him.
I can feel him downstairs. Awake. Restless. Probably fighting the same impossible pull I am.
My feet carry me down the stairs before my brain catches up. This is stupid. Reckless. If anyone catches me sneaking around at midnight—
But I can't stop.
I find him exactly where I knew he'd be. His study door is cracked open, golden light spilling into the hallway. Through the gap, I see him standing by the window with a glass of scotch, staring out at the moonlit grounds.
He looks exhausted. Broken. Like the mate bond is tearing him apart the same way it's tearing me apart.
Knock, my wolf urges. Let him know we're here.
I raise my hand to knock, but the door suddenly swings open.
Maverick stands there, his eyes glowing full amber in the darkness. He knew I was coming. Probably felt me through the bond the second I left my room.
"You shouldn't be here," he says quietly.
"I know." My voice comes out breathy. "I couldn't sleep."
"Neither could I." He steps back, letting me in, then closes the door behind us. "This bond is—"
"Torture," I finish. "I can feel you everywhere. In my chest. In my head. Like you're part of me now."
"That's exactly what the mate bond does." He runs a hand through his silver hair, frustrated. "It connects two souls permanently. There's no breaking it. No ignoring it."
"Then why are we trying to?" I move closer. The bond sings louder with every step. "You said it yourself—this is real. We're fated mates."
"You're eighteen," he says desperately. "I'm forty-two. Your best friend is my daughter. This is wrong in every possible way."
"But it doesn't FEEL wrong." I'm right in front of him now. Close enough to touch. "It feels like the first thing in my whole messed-up life that actually makes sense."
Maverick's control visibly cracks. His eyes flash between gray and amber. His hands clench into fists at his sides.
"If we do this," he says roughly, "there's no going back. The mate bond is forever, Scarlett. Forever. You'd be tied to a broken Alpha who can barely hold his pack together. Who's hated by his own daughter. Who has more enemies than allies."
"I don't care about any of that." I reach up and touch his face. The skin contact makes us both gasp. Electricity shoots through the bond. "I care about you."
Maverick closes his eyes like he's in pain. "You don't even know me."
"Then let me learn." My hand slides to the back of his neck. "Please. My wolf is going crazy. She needs you. I need you."
For a long moment, he doesn't move. Doesn't breathe.
Then his control shatters completely.
He kisses me.
It's not gentle or careful. It's desperate and hungry and absolutely perfect. His hands tangle in my hair. My back hits his desk. The mate bond explodes between us like fireworks, singing with joy that we're finally, FINALLY touching.
When we break apart, we're both breathing hard.
"This is a terrible idea," Maverick whispers against my lips.
"I know." I kiss him again.
His phone suddenly buzzes on the desk beside us. We both freeze.
Maverick grabs it, his face going pale as he reads the screen.
"What? What is it?" I ask.
He shows me the text. It's from someone named Garrett: Alpha, we have a situation. Celestia just called an emergency Council meeting. She's challenging your right to lead the pack. Claims you're unfit. The hearing is in three days.
My blood runs cold. "What does that mean?"
Maverick's eyes meet mine, and I see real fear there for the first time.
"It means," he says quietly, "that my ex-mate is trying to destroy me. And if she succeeds, she'll take this entire territory, including you."